Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of Bungie's original 2001 shooter, has reignited the long-standing console war, this time focusing on perceived differences in weapon accuracy between its PlayStation 5 and PC/Xbox versions. Released on July 28 for all three platforms, the game faithfully recreates the classic campaign experience with modern graphics, but some players claim the assault rifle's performance varies subtly across consoles.
The core of the debate centers on the MA5B assault rifle's successor in the remake, the MA5C. While the original game featured a 60-round clip for its assault rifle, the MA5C in Halo: Campaign Evolved comes with a 32-round magazine by default, though a "Magnified" skull modifier can revert it to the classic MA5B. According to some players, the MA5C exhibits less accuracy on the PlayStation 5 version compared to its Xbox and PC counterparts, while firing at a slightly faster rate.
A video shared on Reddit by user Mikalton highlighted these perceived discrepancies. The footage presented side-by-side comparisons of players firing at a wall, with the reticle drift appearing more pronounced on the PS5 version. Subsequent sequences in the video showed differing bullet hole patterns on the target surface, though it was not immediately clear which player was using which platform.
Speculation among players ranges from frame rate differences to other technical factors, with some noting that the "Magnified" skull modifier also impacts weapon accuracy. However, a consensus appears to be forming that the Xbox and PC versions of the assault rifle feel superior. "Ngl, the ps5 one looks like a typical AR, but the xbox/pc one is a freaking laser beam," one player commented. "Like I'm never use the AR in any halo, but in [Campaign Evolved], Ive found myself only dropping it when it's out of ammo due to how accurate it feels."
Beyond the accuracy debate, Halo: Campaign Evolved is notable for being the first game in the series to launch without a competitive multiplayer mode. This omission has been attributed to various factors, including the game's development on Unreal Engine 5 and potential challenges in porting multiplayer to a new platform. The developers at Halo Studios did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the accuracy concerns or the multiplayer absence.